


Until The End? Until The End.

by Cardinal_Blue



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:08:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21582007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cardinal_Blue/pseuds/Cardinal_Blue
Summary: || Camp Camp Fanfiction || || Dad!David X Reader ||
Relationships: Dadvid/Reader, David/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	1. Doors Are For People With No Imagination

Stormy weather was always the best. The constant rain on the roof and smacking against the window, the thrashing of lightening as it paints the sky in different hues of yellow and orange, the cacophony of thunder rolling. It gave off a calming atmosphere from inside the house. Where it was warm, you were safe and hot cocoa was in hand.   
Something that added to the calm serenity of a storm wailing about outside was the gentle piano music.   
Sitting in front of the piano, your fingers dance gracefully across the keys. A gentle smile plastered to your face as you tried to contrast the sounds of raging weather with the calm you felt in your mind. The cup of hot cocoa resting on the table at your side still half full, waiting on you to finish your song.  
Sleeping on the armchair behind you was Zeus, a Shiba Inu whom you had recently received from your cousin, who found they couldn't take care of the poor thing.  
And everything was calm.  
A calm in the storm.  
That certainly seemed to fit.

But seemed this wasn't going to last today. 

As your fingers lightly graze each key as you keep up your tune, there's a rather deafening thunder crack that makes you jump- messing you up. Zeus had lifted his head as well, spooked by the loud noise. A low growl came from him as he hopped off the armchair and dashed through the house. Sighing lightly, you get up and grab your cocoa. "Zeus, come back here-" You call out- only he doesn't return. Instead, he begins barking at the window in the kitchen. "What in the world are you even barking at?" Making your way to the kitchen, you find why he's barking. 

The window above the sink is slightly open. Not nearly enough for someone to fit in or anything- but it was open. Furrowing your eyebrows, you walk over to try and close it when fingers slide through the small slit and tries to force the thing open.   
Your heart falls and you set your cup down shakily.  
You didn't own any kind of weapons- other than the taser your friend had given you once as a joke. And that was all the way in your room. By the time you grab it, this person would be in the house!

That's when you heard a baby crying. Gently muffled by the rain and barking of Zeus.

"Please- please stop, doggy." A voice says through the crack in the window. They sounded- hoarse. "Shhh- it's okay Max." The voice seemed to try and soothe the crying. Now, you weren't sure if this was some kind of elaborate new way of killing people or something that gangs had come up with. But you weren't about to fall for it! Taking a deep breath, you stand straight and run to grab your taser.

Coming back, you make sure it's on- giving it a quick test before finding the window was half open now and Zeus was on the counter now. After walking over and plucking the dog up and putting him on the ground, you ready your taser and throw the window open. 

The shock is more of a warning- you didn't even hit the male as he screamed, stumbling back. He held close to a small bundle in his jacket as he fell back in the mud. "Think you can just break in to my house- think again, buddy." You say, about to slam the window when lightening cracks the sky and you catch sight of the man in the mud. 

His face is- bruised beyond all hell. Blood seems to stain his shirt and be running from his nose and mouth. One hell of a shiner on his left eye too. Blinking down at him, as he struggled to get up, wincing in pain as he uses one arm to try and get up, baby still crying. As you now realize the bundle he's holding in his jacket is the small crying baby. 

Fuck- if this was some kind of weird initiation to a gang or something, it was playing right into your good hearted nature. 

The male goes down, his arm seeming to shake way too much with the effort. A small sob escapes him as he curls around the child. "Please- please help us." He chokes on the words, making you feel horrible as you look at Zeus, who is still growling. "Shh, it's okay." You gently pet the dog, calming it down before looking to the male. He looked in bad shape- and made you wonder just what the hell had happened to him for him to look this smashed up. A part of you was scared to see what the child looked like- you wouldn't be able to handle seeing a baby all beat up like that. 

"If I come help you, I better not end up shot or attacked by five guys." You say, keeping your taser close and jumping on the counter before slipping through the window. You didn't feel like you should let him out of your sight for even a second. That and you were seriously worried that if you took the time to race around to the front door and then around the house, you'd be right in any trap that may be laid out for you.

My, someone is paranoid.

Anyway, now outside in the pouring rain, you crouch and look the man over- him still clutching the baby to his chest. A frown pulls at your lips. "Here, give me the kid." You say, reaching to take the child. This only seems to make him look at you with fear in his eyes, clutching the baby closer to his chest. "Sir, if you want me to help you, you have to give me the kid." You explain. No movement or noise beside the kid crying and the male choking back his sobs. Sighing, you drop to your knees and gently pry the kid from him. 

"No- please! Don't take him away from me-" He says- though hardly has the energy or power to fight you back. Easily slipping the kid from his grip, you hold them close. A small boy, hair as fluffy as a cloud and as dark as the clouds currently hanging in the sky. "Don't- don't leave me here." The male still on the ground said. "He needs me- So please-" 

Man, he sure says please a lot.

"Calm down, sir. I have to get him inside. I swear, I'll be right back." You promise, getting up and heading to the window again. Getting back in was a fucking difficult task and with a baby in arm, made it even harder. Once inside, you walk to the main living room again and try soothing the child. "Hey, hey now. It's all okay." Cooing at the baby, you make a small nest out of throw pillows and gently lay him in it. "You stay right here, I have to go help your dad." The crying had died down a bit, and as you head out the front door this time, satisfied that it wasn't a set up- you head back to the man on the ground. 

The moment he sees you, he seems to be relieved. "You came back." The male sniffles. "I promised you, didn't I?" 

Now, you weren't exactly the strongest person alive, but you could at least help this guy to his feet. Looping an arm under his armpits, you pull him up- him hissing in pain. "Do you have a name?" You ask, deciding you'd rather know who the hell is staying in your house with you than letting some stranger in. Even if it was pretty obvious they needed your help.

"David...A-and I'm sorry for trying to break in-" He wipes at his bloody nose. "I just- had to get somewhere safe..." His voice is still raspy- like he'd been screaming for lord knows how long. "I'm so, so sorry." 

Helping him inside, you close and lock the door back. Carefully walking the male to the couch, you sit him down and sigh lightly as he crumbles onto the cushions, soaking them. "Well, David, I don't fully forgive you for almost breaking in- and taking a baby out in this kind of weather-" You start, watching him shiver on the couch, looking around until he found the baby now resting in the small pillow nest.

Now that you were in the light of the house, you could see the man much better now. His eyes an emerald shade that lit up when he saw the sleeping child. "Oh thank goodness." David says, under his breath before looking at you with a smile. "I know, I wouldn't forgive me either..." Well- at least he seemed like an okay guy. Didn't seem like the type to kill you. Then again, what killer would be seen as that type to begin with?  
"But- thank you. I-... You have my eternal gratitude." David explains, moving the pillow nest closer to him, still shaking.   
Staring at him for a moment, you sigh and head over to your fire place. "You two need to get dry and warm." Throwing a few logs on the fireplace, you find some starter wood and grab your lighter, starting a fire. It takes a few minutes to catch, but eventually, it's glowing and warming the room.   
Standing again, you look back at him. "I'll get you one of my bathrobes. I'll wash and dry those." Motioning to his clothes, you head off to the bathroom. "I'll also need the kids clothes-"  
"Max."  
As you walk back, you raise an eyebrow, robe in hand. "Huh?"  
"His name. It's Max." David says, smiling gently and taking the robe you hand him. "Ah, okay. Well, I'll dry his clothes too."   
David nods and looks at you. "Um, I know this is your house and all- but can you just- step out for a moment?" He asks, polite as possible. He really did seem like a nice guy..  
"Oh- yeah." Heading into the kitchen, you decide to make the guy a cup of cocoa. What? It always helped you feel better! Plus it gave him plenty of time to change and get Max out of those wet clothes too.

Once the cocoa was done, you head back in, finding he had put the clothes- neatly folded, mind you- in a little pile on the floor. He was sitting in front of the fire with Max in his arms again- swaddled in a blanket that usually you kept on the back of the couch for days when you were far to lazy to get up and find one.  
Walking over, you gently sit the cocoa down beside him. "Here. You might want to drink that to help get your body temperature back up." You say. The redhead looks up at you with an expression of shock.   
"Thank you- you're...really kind." A smile adorns his face, making his eyes seem to pop even more. "Especially to someone who tried to break in." A soft laugh escapes him, only to end with him coughing. You purse your lips and shrug. "Maybe I'm just gullible and way to considerate." You half joke, picking up the pile of clothes. "I-I didn't mean it in a bad way,- uhhh-" He trails off.   
"[Y/N]." You turn to him with a smile. "And don't take my kindness for weakness, Mister David." You say, heading off to throw the clothes in the washer first. "N-Never." He mumbles as you leave. 

In the laundry room, you put the clothes in and toss in a few pods before setting it on a quick wash. Running through the event in your head, you bite your lip. Maybe you shouldn't have let him in the house. But he seemed harmless. And you couldn't just leave him there! But why was he so bloody? What if he was an actual killer? What if he stole that baby! It didn't even look like him!   
Thought after thought raced through your mind as you turn on your heels and head back out. Maybe you could ask him a few questions- just to be safe.  
"Hey, David?" You say, stepping into the main room, only to find him sleeping. Max lay gently in his lap, David's arms protecting him from rolling off.   
They both looked so..peaceful. Maybe you had it all wrong. He did seem nice- and he did say he just needed somewhere safe to go...  
Smiling lightly to yourself, you shake your head as Zeus sniffs at the two, a bit more weary of the newcomers. "They're fine, Zeus." You tell the pup, who curls up at David's leg.

Walking over to your piano again, you sit down and start playing a gentle, soothing lullaby.


	2. Two's Company, But Three's A PARTY!

After having made sure David and little Max were comfortable and the fire wasn't going to burn the house down if you left it, you had gone to sleep on the couch. Just in case either of them woke up and needed something.

The sun crept over the horizon and you were awoken by the sound of Max crying. Drowsy and still half asleep, you push up and look around, finding that David wasn't there and he obviously had Max. But where were they?  
Letting your eyes adjust, you rub the sleep from your eyes and stand. "David? You up?" You call out only to hear something crash in the kitchen, which seemed to wake you up fully. Dashing through the room, you skid to a halt in the kitchen archway. "Oh gosh- Oh gosh- You weren't suppose to wake up yet." The redhead says, trying to clean up the shards of a shattered glass on the floor. Max was giggling about the fuss his dad was in, seated in the sink... Wait- did he do all your dishes? "What happened? What's going on?" You ask, taking quick steps over to Max and plucking him up from the sink. The small boy simply looked at you for a moment, then at David as he continued to try and pick up glass. "Stop- you'll hurt yourself-" You start only to have him hiss lightly and shake his hand out before sticking his finger in his mouth. Sighing, you search your kitchen drawers until you find the box of band aids you kept. They weren't even opened.   
So while holding Max, you get them open and pull one out, heading back to the redhead as he watches you. "Here." You say, balancing the small child in your arm as you take his finger and wrap the beige adhesive around his cut. "I have a broom you know... And try not to leave a child in the sink." Walking over to your pantry, you pull it open and take the broom out, looking over at David as he rushes to the stove, flipping something in the pan on it's surface. "Wait- are you cooking too?" The question was more shocked than anything.   
"Oh, well, um, yes. I figured...You know, since you've been so kind enough as to help me and Max- the least I could do was help out. Maybe say thank you in some way without words." David looks over his shoulder at you with a grin. Jeez, this guy was too damn nice. You almost felt bad for almost tasering him last night now. Not only was he trying to clean up your kitchen, but he was cooking for you too? There was no way this man was real.   
"I was hoping to actually ask you a bit of a favor as well... If you'll hear me out."   
And, so there was a reason.  
Sitting down and bouncing Max a bit, you sigh. "Oh boy, what is it?" Whatever it was, as long as it wasn't too much, you figured you could try to help. There was silence for a good moment as David seemed to try and gather the courage he felt he needed to ask help of you. "Well... You see, I don't really have anywhere to go now..." Oh boy, was he about to- "If I was to help out and maybe pay a few bills, would you perhaps let me and Max stay here? Just until I can get back on my feet? I-I know you hardly know me and we just met but- it would mean the world to me!" He turned away from the stove, spatula in hand, looking like he might start crying at any second. "I just don't want to have to keep trying to find abandon house after abandon house to sleep in to keep Max safe. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help out! A-and in the summer, you won't even have to worry about me being here!" He was wringing the shit out of the handle of your spatula and looking at the ground.  
A sigh escapes you as you watch this poor, fragile guy try to hold it together. Looking down at Max, who was chewing on the edge of the table at this point, you gently pull him off it and chew on your tongue. You had JUST met this man and he was practically begging you to let him stay in your house. Then again, with a small child like Max you were pretty sure you'd want to find a nice person who would allow you to stay until you could fix yourself enough to survive. And hell, you could use a bit of help around the house. Someone to help with the bills. And he could probably use someone to help take care of this child.   
"Yeah, I can let you two stay for now." Shrugging a shoulder, you look up to see David's dam burst, tears spilling over as he rushes over and hugs you in one of the tightest hugs you had ever received. "Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy I am- thank you! You're such a kind woman!" He sobs into your shoulder as Max reaches up and tugs at his shirt. This seems to get his attention as he wipes his eyes and picks the kid up out of your arms. "Oh no, it's okay, Max. These are happy tears." He says as Max smacks his cheek a few times.The look on the small kids face seemed to read 'shut up, you blubbering moron'. For a baby, that was an impressive look to give.  
These two were so cute. Max being so small and yet sassy for a baby, and David- who was likely the single most sweetest guy you had ever run across. How were they even real? Speaking of which-

"Hey David?" You say, getting his attention as Max pulls on his ear lobe. "...Who's Max's mom?"   
The question lingers in the air for a bit as David seems to get quiet. "I don't rightly know." He finally admits with a sigh. "He was... kinda left on my doorstep a few months back." David bounces Max in his arms now, looking at him with a soft smile. "I think it was some kind of sign or maybe just- the Universe trying to keep me going." Pulling Max away from his ear, he holds him up and grins at him. "He's my little savior."   
You were silent for a moment, watching David simply play with Max, tossing him lightly and simply trying to make him smile. But his words had hit you quite hard and it made you worry. Just what did he mean by that? You had a sinking feeling in your chest that said you knew exactly what he meant- but you had to hear it from him.   
"He saved you from what?"   
"From myself."  
Again, silence as David set Max back in your arms. He squirmed a bit but a wiggle of your fingers seemed to grab his attention as he put those tiny little hands around your index finger and started gnawing on it. And boy was he teething. Cringing slightly, you allowed it, deciding you would certainly have to go out sometime today with David and get a few essentials for the kid. High chair, toys, clothes, bottles and sippy cups for later...  
You didn't have a whole hell of a lot of money- but you had enough to at least get a few things. Your job paid well enough- and if David got a job soon, you would both totally be able to handle it. I mean, you could afford to live in a house like this- so obviously you weren't hurting too bad. But that's because you were one person living here. Now there were three. And you would have to take care of a child. Which wasn't too bad. You didn't mind kids- especially if they were still babies. They were super cute from infancy to toddler stages. Hell, even from five to thirteen they could be cute. Depending on the kid.   
"So that's why you got so worried then." You finally speak up as David admires you and Max. giving a small nod, he smiles. "Yeah, I really don't want to loose him or do something to hurt him. He's precious to me." Tilting his head, he chuckles. "I also would like to say congrats, he's never taken to anyone so well before." He adds on as Max continues to chew on your finger, eyes closed like he might fall asleep. A soft smile graces your own lips as you watch him. "Really? Well then, I'm honored." You giggle lightly as not to wake him. Looking up to meet David's gaze, you felt your heart flip in your chest as he stared at you with a soft, almost tender and endearing stare.   
Biting your lip, you could feel the heat pool in your cheeks as you pulls your eyes off him. "I'm really glad I decided to try and break in." What a very weird thing to say. You turn back to him with a confused look. "You're such a nice person and- you really seem to care about us even though we're kind of- well- strangers." David explains, rubbing the back of his neck as his cheeks and ears turned a nice shade of red. "Max really likes you and your being sweet enough to let us stay here, so... I'm glad that I found you."  
Holy fuck- your stomach turned into one giant knot as he continued talking.   
"I swear I'll make it up to you one day, okay?" With that, he pulls you into one more bear hug and smiles happily to himself.   
With the free arm that wasn't currently trying to keep Max from being crushed in the hug, you wrap it around David and try to hug back with just as much 'oomph' as possible. Sadly, David is far stronger and you feel like you hardly hugged him as he pulls away again. That smile still adorning his face, making his eyes shine and aura pop. He certainly was something. Still, you couldn't help wonder just what lay behind those breathtaking eyes of his. Why did he need saving from himself? What had transpired that would make someone so bright like him feel so dull enough to need something to keep him going? What happened just before you two had met for him to be left scarred up and bloody like that? Why did he no longer have a place to stay? Question after question seemed to plague you. And with no discernible answer in clear view, you guessed you would just have to wait. You didn't think it would be quite right to bombard the poor guy with these questions when he looked so tranquil and happy right now. David needed to just- relax today. And that's exactly what you were going to let him do- right after breakfast of course.

"David..." You say, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving a gentle smile. He seemed to tense up under your touch and turned a dangerous shade of red. "U-Uh, yeah?" The poor redhead stammers out. Leaning in real close, right against his ear, you sigh gently before whispering;  
"Your pancakes are burning~"

Spinning around so fast, you were scared he would get whiplash, David turned to the stove and ran over. "Oh golly!" He turned on the stove fan and began to swat at the smoke. You couldn't help but snicker, shaking your head. He was such a dork- but so damn good at it. And in all the commotion, Max woke up from his short cat nap- looking ready to cry. Only to see David in peril and looking distraught. This made the kid burst into a fit of giggles, squirming in your arms again. Looking back over at you and Max, David's smile slowly came back to his face.  
"Well...How about eggs and bacon instead?" He suggests. A giggle escapes you as you nod. "That sounds lovely, David."


	3. Guess We Gotta Move Out Of The State Now

After a few minutes of David making eggs and bacon and you popping in some bread to make toast, the two of you sit down. Max was in his lap, trying to gnaw on a piece of toast. Making an egg and bacon sandwich with your food, you munch into it. "You got the bacon just perfect." You hum, contently. "Thanks! I actually only eat crispy bacon usually." David says, trying to get Max to let him help him. The small child simply pulls the toast away from David's fingers whenever he gets close. "Aw come on Max, just let me help." He mutters quietly to the boy. Max simply shoves a corner of the bred in his mouth and starts going to town on it. Drool soaking into the bread. A short laugh escapes you, making David look up quickly. "Sorry. It's just kind of amusing how dependent a baby can be toward their parent...or guardian in this case, I suppose?" You smile. David's usual smile broke for a moment at your words. "I am his parent." He says, looking at you, dead serious. "I know he doesn't look like me, and he's not blood related, but he's my kid now." He munches on some bacon to end the sentence. Blinking at him, you give a soft smile. "Of course. I'm sorry, David. You're gonna be a good dad to him." You assure him, taking another bite from your sandwich. This seemed to brighten him again, his smile springing back to his face. "I'm darn sure gonna try!" He says as Max drops his toast and grabs a handful of eggs, squishing it in his hands.  
"Ah- no, Max. You eat that." David tries to correct, getting a forkful and shoving it in his mouth. Chewing and swallowing, he points to his mouth. "In your mouth, okay?" He says before the small boy looks at his fist full of eggs. Shoving it in his mouth- most of it ending up on him or the floor. A snicker escapes you as you watch the two. "He gets a gold star for trying." David looks over at you with eyes alight. "Do you have golden star stickers?!" Wow, that seemed to get the man excited. "Ah, no, but we can get some when we go out if you want." You laugh. "I'd like that very much! I like using some kind of incentive! It's god to get kids started with that kind of thing. I think it's called like a incentive theory of motivation or something? A girl I use to go to college with said something about it. She's a psychology minor." He smiles.   
For some reason, the fact he brought up another female made your chest tighten. It was a strange feeling and the only way to describe it was 'jealousy'. Which annoyed the actual fuck out of you. That shouldn't bother you. And yet, the dull feeling didn't go away.   
"That's pretty cool. So you went to school then? What for?" You ask, finishing off your sandwich in an attempt to get rid of the feeling and off that subject for a moment. "Well, yeah, I finished my two years at a community college. I never got around to starting a four year..." David says as Max takes a bacon strip and crumbles it all over David's lap. "Maybe once Max here gets a little older, I'll go back and finish it, you know? I was going to be a music teacher." He explains, giving you a half smile and shrugged his shoulders. "But, that has to wait! I need a job now and I have to take care of this rascal." Ruffling up Max's hair, David laughs.   
It was so nice to have someone around the house to talk with. Besides Zeus, who was currently under David's chair, licking up whatever Max threw to the ground. You could tell your poor pup was going to be one chubby puppy with the kid around now.  
"Speaking of which, you can job hunt while we're out today getting things." You smile, leaning back in your chair. "Oh! You're right. Good thinking, [Y/N]!" David chirps happily.   
Mn, you could get use to hearing him say your name. He had such an adorable voice. Damn, were you really already falling for this man? No, no, it was just-- a puppy love. A small crush. Something you'd get over in a few weeks. Just because he had the cutest smile and most adorable voice and he was pretty easy on the eyes and-- 

You shake yourself out of it and look at him as he stands, holding Max out, a frown on his face. You had been staring off that you hadn't even noticed what happened. You look to David's face, seeing a rather pained expression as a noise got stuck in his throat. Or maybe he was trying to keep it in. "Take.Max." He says through gritted teeth. Taking the boy from him quickly, you realize now that the cup of coffee the male had been trying to drink with his meal was now covering not only his chest but all the way down the front of the robe of yours he was wearing. He stumbles out of the kitchen. "Ah- bathroom is down the hall, second door on the left!" You call after him. You hear footsteps hurry in that direction- followed by the slam of the door- and then David screams, making you jump. Looking down at Max, who grabbed a handful of your hair, you smile slightly. "You really enjoy tormenting the poor guy, don't you?" You ask as he tries to chew on your hair. Unwrapping his fingers from your hair, you pull it off to the side, away from him.  
Walking down the hallway, you knock on the bathroom door. "David? Why don't you go ahead and take a shower? I'll get your clothes, okay?" You tell him, hearing what sounded like soft sobs from inside. "Okay--" He says, voice cracking, followed by a sniffle. You wait for a moment until you hear the water running. "Come on, Maxie." You say, lightly bouncing the boy as you head off to the laundry room.  
Once there, you place Max in a laundry basket and toss the clothes in the drier. You figured David would take a rather long shower to cry it out. Whatever he was crying about. Max seemed to rummage around in the clothes basket, throwing things out of it. A few shirts at first- then socks- and underwear. You lean against the dry and chuckle, watching him. "I'm gonna make you clean that up if you don't stop." You say in a baby voice. A sock is thrown out next, as if in retaliation to your threat. "Don't think I don't mean it, young man." Wagging a finger at him, he looked you directly in the eyes and slowly put one of your bras in his mouth. "Eugh! No!" You say, reaching down and pulling him from the basket, plucking the bra from his tiny grasp.   
Bad move.  
The kids lip quivers before he shrieks, crying out. "Oh, you cannot be serious." You say as he whines and cries. Looking at the bra in your other hand, you slowly hand it over. He quiets down and squeezes the fabric in his tiny hands. "Jeez kid." You mutter quietly to yourself. "Guess I know what you'll be into later in life." Max then puts it back in his mouth, looking up at you with those light green eyes of his. "Don't give me those eyes." You scoff as he then giggles. "Oh fuck you kid." You laugh, cuddling him until you hear footsteps and David, wearing just a towel finds you. "[Y/N]! There's a spider in the shower!" He says, looking frazzled, dripping wet and- Hot damn. He wasn't ripped but he did have a nice fucking body. "I threw the shampoo at it but then it ran off!" 

  
Oh, you just had too.  
"You mean the one crawling in your hair?" You point to the dilapidated state his floof was in. His eyes widen as he starts shaking. "Get it- please- it might be poisonous." He whimpers. "So you'd rather it bite me or Max?" You click your tongue and walk past him. A whine leaves him as he gets more paranoid and takes a deep breath and starts attacking his hair with his hand. "Get off get off get off!" He says as he does this. By now though, you're already headed to the bathroom to see this big bad spider that's got him all freaked out.   
"Your dad's a weird guy." You tell Max with a half smile. However, stepping into your bathroom, you bite back a scream of your own. It wasn't any huge spider, but it was a good size.  
"Oh my god--" You state, quickly taking Max back to David. "Did I get it!?" David asks as soon as he sees you. "I was joking, take Max. I'm gonna beat it with the broom." He nods and takes Max with one arm, having to use the other to keep his towel in place. If not, you'd get one hell of a show.   
Grabbing the broom, you head back to the bathroom and find it...gone...  
"Oh you gotta be fucking kidding me." You mutter, only to see something move beside you. Jumping and turning, you see only Zeus, playing with one of his toys. "Zeus! Ya gotta help me find the spider." You tell the dog, who looks at you with it's head cocked to the side. "Spider. Eight legs. Little pincers." He put your fingers by your mouth to simulate this. The dog simply tilts it's head to the other side now, ears perked up. "Oh, you're no help!" You huff before turning and looking at Max and David as David realizes that Max is holding one of your bras. But more importantly- The fact the spider was crawling down Max's back. Your breath caught in your throat as you tense up. Heart having sunk to your stomach, you walk over slowly. "David... Don't panic..." You say slowly.   
Probably a bad choice in words...  
"Where is it!?" He panics, holding Max closer. This makes the spider move off the boy and onto David's towel. Your eyes tracking it. And David's eyes tracking your gaze down to his towel. "Don't freak out-" You start only for David to give off a yell, frightening Max- who jumps and startles the spider, which takes refuge inside David's towel. Both you and David are still for a moment before David sets Max down, very gently, on the table- looks at you and gives a whimper of a question. "Turn around please." You manage to make out. You comply, staring at the wall. 

Meanwhile, David rips his towel off and starts smacking the damn thing with the nearest object- which happened to be the spatula he used to make the food earlier. "How!Dare!You!" He yells, seeming to be making a bunch of noise behind you, making you jump a bit, tempted to turn around. "David?" You ask, eyebrows furrowed as Zeus runs over, barking at him. You give a side glance and notice Max about to take a nose dive off the table. You quickly rush over and grab him, holding him close. "Don't do that-" You say before David falls on you. "[Y/N]?!" He yelps as you three go tumbling.   
Making sure that Max isn't crushed or hurt, you hold him out, landing on your stomach with David on top of you.   
"Ngh- did ya get it...?" You mutter, blinking at Max, who was giggling at you two. "No..." David mumbles from on top of you. "That sucks...Can you get off me? I can feel everything." You say, fighting back the red in your cheeks. This seems to get him up and off you. "Oh my golly! I-I'm so sorry!" David says, quickly grabbing his towel back up and wrapping it around himself before helping you up as you sat up, Max in arms. "So...Ya didn't kill it?" You ask, looking him over and not seeing the hairy creature. "No..." A small moment of silence. "Go get dressed, I think now would be a great time to go shopping. Maybe Zeus will find it and kill it." You run a hand through your hair. "Oh! So that's his name. Okay." David nods before you motion to the laundry room. "Your clothes are in the drier." Giving you a thumbs up, he quickly rushes in there, closes the door and promptly changes.   
Exhaling a breath of both nerves and embarrassment, you shake your head. "What am I gonna do with you two?" Looking down at Max, he chews the bra strap, making you purse your lips. "You'll be the death of me." You joke before David bounces over and holds his hands out. "I'll take him now! Let's go before it decides to crawl up my pants leg next!" He laughs, trying to make a joke of the situation. Smiling lightly, you shake your head and hand Max over. David hugs his son and frowns a bit. "Sorry about all that, buddy." He nuzzles him before smiling to you. "Lead the way!"


	4. It's All Fun And Games, Until...

A few weeks had passed at this point. David had become quite the help and often would wake up at the crack of dawn just to make you breakfast and attend to Max- who would wake up and demand someone give him attention. By the time you woke up and ate breakfast, David would ask you over and over if it was okay if he left Max with you. The answer was always 'yes', no matter how many times he asked. Then he'd end up rushing to get dressed and ready and walk to school. You had offered him your car almost daily but he assured you that the walk was therapeutic for him and it got both his morning jog and nature walk out of the way.   
While the male was at school, you were left alone with Max. The boy had sass and kept you on your toes. Today was no different.  
As you're washing the dishes from breakfast, talking to Max as he sit in the high chair you had managed to snag from a yard sale for five bucks. "You like bubbles, Max?" You asked, soaping your hands up and turning to the boy as he chewed on one of the toys David had picked out for him due to his teething. Those viper green eyes look up at you as you talk. Making a circle with your hands, you take a deep breath and blow. It took a few tries, but eventually, a bubble breaks off and floats over to Max. His eyes go wide as he takes one hand off his toy to reach for the bubble. Just as is fingers brush against it- it pops. The boy stares at the spot it had just been for a few seconds before breaking into a fit of giggles. Grinning, you lather your hand in the soap again and blow another few bubbles for Max. Both hands now reaching toward the shiny little floating orbs. Each time one popped, he ended up shrieking in laughter. A small giggle escapes you as you watch him.  
Aw man, they were so cute when they were small like this. Everything new and either terrifying or exciting. You rather envied that. "Note to self; buy a bubble machine for Max." You mutter, pulling the kid from his high chair and setting him on the floor before sitting with him. He didn't look too happy that you had stopped your magic trick with the bubbles. Lightly smacking your face as you move closer. "Ah ah- no hitting." You take his tiny wrist and waggle a finger. "If you want something, you gotta pout." You jokingly tell the boy, pouting your own lip out.   
Max looks at you for a moment before he turns his eyes up at you and pouts his own lip. The sight is- so cute yet sad. You basically just gave this kid all the ammunition he needs to get whatever he wants from you. God help you if he learned how to fake tears and start sniffling too. You'd be under the thumb of a child.   
"Aw- Max!" You scoop him up in a hug before hearing a bark from behind you. Placing Max back down, you turn to Zeus, who is proudly wagging his tail, awaiting praise, something in his mouth. "Whatcha got there, boy?" You ask, only to watch it squirm. Zeus growls and chomps down on it, seeming to kill it. That's when you realized what it was. "Zeus! Spit that out!" You urge, quickly going to fetch your broom and dust pan as the pup spits it out as you asked. The now dead spider lay on the floor, legs still twitching. "Gross-gross-gross!" You stick your tongue out with a soft 'ugh' as you sweep it up and promptly toss it in the trash.  
"Well... Good job finding and killing that thing for us, Zeusy...Zeus?" You turn around and notice that, not only is Zeus gone, but Max is too.  
That's when Zeus runs by the kitchen archway, all excited, Max clinging to his side. "Oh hell!" You say, quickly rushing to the doorway and watching as the small child, small fist full of fur at a time, climbs his way to the dog's back. Zeus wasn't a huge dog- but with how small Max was- it was like a horse to him.   
Honestly it was precious.  
"Alright, give me the baby, Zeus." You laugh, stepping in front of the dog. He hops back a few times and lowers himself to the ground. Max smacked the dogs head- probably more akin to petting though to Zeus, as he babbled.  
"Oh, you planning on charging me?" You ask, hands on your hips with a smirk. Zeus' tail wags wildly as he gives a small bark. Then started bounding toward you. "Ole!" You spin out of the way, making a grab at Max- only for Zeus to skid to the side, pulling him just out of reach. "Oh, someone's protective of their new friend." You chuckle as Zeus stands at the ready to run again. You give a 'bring it on' motion to the Shiba Inu and chuckle lightly. He bark and runs- up the stairs. "Oh! No! Careful of Max!" You call, running after the dog- watching them pounce up the stairs, Max somehow staying on, giggling and nuzzling his face into the dog.   
Sighing in relief, you start up the stairs. "Zeus, that's enough, okay?" You tell the energetic dog. Max slowly starts to climb off him, only for Zeus to start licking his cheeks. The boy pushes at the dog and then plops down on the floor, arms crossed, sniffling.  
Picking him up, you smile lightly. "Come on, don't cry." Nuzzling him to your face, you head down the stares. "Why don't we play some piano? You'll love it." Heading over to the piano in question, you set Max down on the bench beside you and place your fingers on the ivory keys. "How about some Chopin?" You ask before Max uses you to stand on the bench, swaying a bit before stabilizing. Smiling at him, you turn toward the piano, close your eyes and start playing Grande Valse Brilliante. The moment the upbeat tune starts playing, Max jolts a bit, staring at the way your hands moved across the keys as you open one eye to check on him.His eyes seemed to shine as he watched you. "You like this, Max?" You question the boy, who uses your arm to get closer to the keys before- slamming his tiny little hands on the keys.   
The sound was straight out of a horror movie. The noise seemed to scare the poor boy as he stumbled back, you quickly grabbing him before he can fall off. His eyes swell with tears as the echo reverberates through the room. "No, no! It's okay, Max! Look, look!" Using your free hand, the one that wasn't holding him, you start playing 'You Are My Sunshine' and smile at him. "See? It's okay. You just can't hit it." You explain, rocking him gently. Small whines and sobs left him, but he calms down fairly easy and curls up in your arm. Humming along to the song softly, you watch the boys eyes slowly droop. "You'll never know, dear, how much I love you, so please, don't take- my sun-shine-away~" You sing as he yawns and cuddles against your chest.  
Shaking your head as you pull your hand off the keys, you get up, about to take him to the crib when there's a loud, hard knock on the door. Eyebrows furrowed, you try to recall if you were expecting anyone. Oddly enough, you know you didn't have any guests arriving today. But maybe it was David who forgot something? Like his house key.   
Quickly placing the sleeping Max in the crib, you tuck the small bundle of sass in and stroke his hair before the knocking gets louder and more- annoyed maybe? Huffing and rolling your eyes, you march your way to the door and peek out the peep hole.   
On the other side was a blonde woman- and when you say blonde, you mean bottle blonde. Wearing all white and wearing sunglasses on her smiling face. What in the fresh hell was this shit? Probably some religious group of some sort.  
Unlocking the door and opening it, you give the female a dead gaze look. "I'm really not in the mood to hear about Jesus. And if you're selling something, I'm not buying." Just as you go to close the door as she quickly puts a hand up. "Oh, ma'am! No! I'm not here for either of those reasons!" The woman says, voice cheery in nature. "You see, I'm actually here for a very serious reason." She says, though with the way she's smiling, you can't help but feel this 'serious' topic is kind of dampened by her tone and attitude.   
"Well, I'm listening." You sigh, leaning on the door frame, arms crossed.   
The woman clasps her hands together and gives a small bow. "Thank you, madam! You see, we're on the look out for someone right now. People have directed us to you about the person in question." She pulls out a folder and flicks through the pages before pulling a picture out. "We're looking for this man, more than likely with a child, no older than maybe two years in age." She explains.  
Taking the photo, your heart sinks as you stare at a picture of David. You swallow back the nerves in your tone and keep your annoyed facade present as you give the same dead gaze to the female. "And why the hell would I know anything about him?" You ask, pushing the picture back into her hands.   
"Well, some of the people around town have seen you with a man who looks like this- and a child. They say you don't have a child and have been living alone until a few weeks ago. I hate to say it, miss, but all signs lead to you." The blonde smiles the same goddamn smile. It was honestly starting to piss you off.  
And it took a LOT to piss you off.   
"Look, I've never seen a man like that in my life. I had been walking around town with my old co-worker. We were...on a date." You lie. You just prayed Max would stay asleep and not ruin this.   
"A man who looks like this?"  
"Mn, well, he is redheaded and tall."   
You push off the door frame and tilt your head. "Look, I'm in the middle of something and you're barking up the wrong tree, doll." You give her a soft, very, VERY fake smile. "I really do hope you find this man though. Out of curiosity, what did he do?"   
Oh the burning question.  
"Ah, yes. He kidnapped the child he's with, killed five of our men and set fire to one of our offices."   
Holy. Fuck. David did that!? Your eyes widen as you put a hand to your mouth. The blonde simply nods sadly. "Yes, he's quite dangerous. Please, keep yourself safe out here by yourself." As she turns to leave, she snaps and turns back to you. "If you find any information, please do call." She hands you a laminated white card. It was pretty plain. A simple picture of what appeared to be their logo- a fancy 'X' with holographic stars amid it's design. Across it was a number to call. Below it simply said to ask for 'Jen'.   
"Hope to hear from you soon, Miss. [Y/LN ]." With that, she gave a small bow and turns on her heels, walking away.  
As you slowly close the door, placing the card in the bowl you kept on the table by the door, you lock the door back.  
"David..."  
He certainly couldn't have actually done all that, right? And Max- he said Max was left on his doorstep! You trusted, David...right?   
As you start heading over to the crib, you slow down as your heart sinks once more today.  
How had...she known your last name? You didn't have it anywhere in or on your house...That fact alone struck fear into your heart as you turn to look at the door once more. "Fucking hell..." You mutter, gripping the baby crib, turning to look down at the sleeping Max only to find...only his blanket.  
If your heart had sunk before, it had just exploded in your chest just now.   
"MAX!?"


	5. Who Ya Gonna Call?

Scouring through the house, your heart felt like it had stopped pumping yet was running at several thousand miles a minute. Maybe Zeus simply took Max somewhere else? Maybe Max, being the mischievous sort, had gotten out of his crib and was simply running amok. Running through the seven stages of grief.   
First had been shock, having found his crib empty. Shock that you had taken your eyes off of him for a few minutes only to find him missing when you return.   
Denial was next. He wasn't missing. He was still there. Right? RIGHT?!  
Then came the anger. At yourself for leaving him all alone for even that small amount of time. Furious at the bitch who had come to your door and not only got you worried about David, but had now made you lose his child! Infuriated by the fact this was happening at all!  
You then tried bargaining, as stated above. Surely he was around here somewhere! Unfortunately, Zeus had sensed your sadness and panic and had rushed to your side- so he didn't have Max. And you weren't too sure where a toddler could even go in this house!   
The depression was starting to seep in currently. You had always figured you'd be a great mother one day- and yet you couldn't even keep track of Max. David was going to kill you. Be it physically, emotionally or with that heartbroken look of his when you tell him you had managed to not only lose his kid but be worried that he was some kind of criminal.   
No, no you wouldn't bring that up yet. If he was dealing with the lose of his one and only child- the one that gave him a reason to fucking live no less, you wouldn't even THINK of bringing that up!  
By now, you were in the testing stage as well as you searched. Checking in cabinets, behind curtains, inside empty rooms- hell you even checked the laundry basket! Zeus had been sent on a search and rescue mission as well, having given him Max's blanket to sniff and look for the boy.   
As you head into the kitchen, you stop in your tracks. Your body tensing up completely as you slowly look at the window. The same window David had been trying to push open that night.   
And had been forced open today.  
"No..." You felt your entire body start to shake, your heart shredded as you sink to your knees. "No- oh God no-" You manage, a hand to your mouth as your stomach churned up and made you sick. Tears spill out the corners of your eyes as the final stage of Grief hits you like a ton of bricks.   
Accepting the fact that Max had been kidnapped.  
And as if it couldn't get any worse- the front door opens. "Hey [Y/N]! You'll never guess what I found!" David's voice rings out through the house. Unable to answer, you try to keep yourself from making too much noise. "[Y/N]?" He was closer now- footsteps drawing in closer until you KNEW he was in the kitchen doorway.   
"[Y/N]!" He rushes over and drops to a knee, putting a hand on your back. "Hey- what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asks, looking you over for possible wounds. You shake your head slowly, refusing to look at him- even when he gets right in front of you. "Hey, talk to me- what happened? Are you hurt?" Those concerned eyes and his hands holding you firmly by the shoulders, he gently pulled you into a hug. But you pushed away, the damn that was holding back your sobs broke. Taking in a large, shaky breath, you push further away from him and cover your face. "He's gone-" You whine through your fingers, voice shaking. Sobbing, your fingers curl into claws as you get louder.   
David was, admittedly, confused. You could hear it in his voice. "Who's gone? Hey-" You reaches out and places a hand on you again, to which you jerk back.   
"MAX! He's fucking gone! It's all my fault, David! I-I don't even- I'm not sure why! I went to get the door- a-a-and!" You shout, clawing your face as you drag your nails down. "And now he's gone!"   
There was silence- well minus your crying- as David soaks in the words you said. It felt like the entire world was crashing down around you. And with David's silence, it only felt more crushing. Daring to look into the redheads eyes, you see the oceans of tears threatening to spill over the edges. "David- I'm so sorry- you trusted me and I-"   
David gripped your shoulders and looks you dead in the eyes. He was trying so hard not to let those tears get past his eyes. "You have to help me get him back." He says, his voice a bit deeper than what you were use too. It sent a slight shiver down your spine. "David, I don't know where he is." You sniffle, wiping at your eyes. "No, but I do." David gets up, wiping at his own eyes and trying to keep his voice steady and his body from shaking too much. "And if I'm right, we have to get moving right now." He takes a deep breath and turns back to you as you try to calm down.   
"David...?" You ask, pressing your palm into your eye socket and slowly calming down. "Do you hate me now?" You ask, voice cracking, as if you were scared to ask the question. The redhead gives you a look of surprise before looking at the floor.   
The silence spoke volumes and your stomach churned worse, making you feel like you might throw up. Swallowing it back, you nod and go to get changed. "I'll get the car." You say as quietly as possible. David nods a bit as you pass him, holding himself as he stares at the floor.   
Once you left the room, you press your back against the wall and slap a hand over your mouth, more tears bubbling up and running over your cheeks, silencing the cries that threatened to get past your fingers.  
Of course David hated you now. You let the one thing that was keeping him alive taken away. It hurt so much to think he hated you, even if you knew it was justified. Why did you care if he hated you or not? Fear of what he might do? Sadness over knowing you lost someone's trust? The unbearable guilt? This feeling was unforgiving and left a void in your chest.   
Staggering away from the wall, you tense hearing the cry from within the kitchen. That heart breaking noise of a man in deep pain. Your whole body went cold, blood seeming to freeze in your veins.  
This was all your fault.  
Looking into the kitchen, you watch the poor man break down on the table, his hair a mess as he holds his head in his hands. His face already sopping wet with tears, his chest moving up and down rapidly. You could only imagine how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. How lost he felt.  
And as if someone lit a fire in your soul, you swallow back your tears.   
This wasn't about your pain. You had done this. Steadying your breathing out once more, you straighten up and march off to your bedroom, snagging your cell phone and storm back downstairs. As you snap your keys up, you head into the kitchen. David looks up and tries to get rid of his tears as you march up to him. "Let's go." You loop an arm around his and pull him up. He looks a bit downtrodden, but quickly follows you out to the garage.   
Reaching your car, you quickly get in and flicks your sunglasses out of the dash, pushing them against your face and wait on David to get in. "W-Wait you don't know where-" David says as he gets in, buckling up.   
"You can tell me right after we visit someone." You muse, clicking a little button on your keychain and pull out, waiting on your garage to close again before you pull off.   
"Wh-where are we going?" He asks, still trying to dry his face off.   
You lick your lips and grin a bit. "I know a guy." You explain. "He's a bit weird, but I think he can help us." You explain, looking up and past your shades at the redhead as he fumbles with his fingers. "Why would he help us though..." He asks, unsure. "Because, he's a nice guy. Plus, he's got a kid of his own. Hah, his kid and Max are probably close in age actually." You state, finding a rather nice home- big enough for a family, nice yard, big oak tree out front with a swing set up.   
"Oh wow- this is such a cute home." David says, giving a weak smile. "M-Maybe after we get Max back, him and their kid can be friends?" he suggests. A smile pulls at your lips. "Absolutely. Come on." You pull into the driveway and jump out, fixing your shirt and leading David up to the door. "Let me do the talking." You mutter as you take a deep breath and knock on the door.   
"One moment!" The man inside calls. There is a multitude of noises from banging to the yelp of said man and the crashing of what sounded like glass. You and David exchange looks. "Are you sure he can help us...?" David asks, frowning. "Well-"   
The door swings open to reveal the rather stressed Jewish man as he leans on the doorway, giving you a finger gun. "[Y/N]- didn't expect to see you today." He states, his glasses slowly sliding down his nose. He's quick to push them back up and notices David at your side. "Oh- and you brought...a friend?" He quirks an eyebrow.   
"Hey Carl. Um, actually, yes. May we come in?" You ask. He's quick to move away from the doorway and allow you entry into his humble home. "Carl, this is David. David, this Carl." You introduce. "He teaches philosophy and does seminars." You explain to the confused redhead. As if asking how this would help you two.   
"Well nice to meet you David." Carl holds a hand out. David takes it hesitantly but smiles and shakes it. "Man, you look like someone shot your dog, you okay?" Carl asks.  
"Actually, that's why we're here, Carl..." You say, pushing your shades up and giving him a small frown. "David here just- well- his child was kidnapped." Carl's eyes widen as he looks at David again. "Oh- I'm...so sorry." He frowns as well. "We were wondering if you think you could help us?" You give your head a cute little tilt and let your hair cover one of your eyes as you ask. "Well..." Carl rubs the back of his neck and gives a little grin. "I'm sure I could help in whatever way you need." He assures you. "Oh, thank you!" You hug the man, pulling away quickly. "I owe you one." You smile. "Do you think we could borrow some stuff? And do you think you could find someone for me?" You flick out the card the female had given you earlier at the door.   
The male takes the card and looks it over. "I was given this by a rather shady lady at my door today." You explain. "I...I think she may be behind it."   
David looks over Carl's arm at the card and seems to go pale. He backs up and puts his hands in his pockets before noticing something out the corner of his eye. Just around the corner.   
A little boy peeked around, seeming to glare at the two new uninvited guests. He couldn't be any older than two. Maybe three. Smiling weakly, he waves, only for the boy to pull back into the next room. "Oh! Neil!" Carl walks over and picks up the small boy, who whines and goes limp in his dad's arms.   
You smile at David, as if to tell him that's the kid you spoke of. He gives a a little smile, a bit brighter than the sad one you had been getting. As if having a conversation telepathically with each other, you could tell he was thinking that Max and this Neil boy would probably get along just fine.   
"Why don't you get to know Carl and Neil? I gotta make a call, okay?" You suggest. David glances at Carl and Neil before taking a deep breath and nodding. Giving the redhead a reassuring shoulder squeeze, you head outside.  
Once outside, you clutch your phone in your hands. Taking a deep breath, you dial in the number and wait patiently. A small female voice answers. "Good evening, Meredith~" You chirp as happy as possible for the child. "Miss. [Y/L/N]! Is it training time again?" The little girl asks. A slight chuckle escapes you. "No dear. Are either of your fathers around?" You question. She grumbles and huffs but eventually shoves the phone at one of the men in the house.   
"Hello?" The man answers.   
"Hey, it's [Y/N]...I need a favor..."


End file.
